Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help establish a UK-wide genetic resource bank for the cryopreservation of (a) embryos and (b) semen for rare livestock breeds.

Defra and the devolved administrations are engaging with the UK Genetics for Livestock and Equines Committee (UKGLE) who provide independent advice on livestock genetics including breeding conservation.

Defra has recently commissioned a livestock biobank scoping study. This study will gather evidence to explore ways to conserve livestock genetics including from

embryos and semen of native breeds.